NO CHILL SIMPLE PUFF PASTRY FROM SCRATCH Ingredients: 1 stick butter 1 c. water dash of salt 1 c. flour 2 eggs
Procedure: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9.
Bring butter, water and salt to a rolling boil. In a separate bowl, mix in 1 cup flour very well (by hand). Break in 1 egg at a time and beat well with wooden spoon. Beat until eggs disappear. Remember to add one egg at a time and beat until smooth after each addition. Drop by spoonfuls, however large you'd like them. Pipe through a pastry bag onto cookie sheets, making sure they won't touch while baking or else they might cook together. Bake at 400-425 degrees until puffed and golden and they look dry, though the center will still be soft. You may have to adjust heat if they brown too quickly, being very careful while opening oven door if you don't have an oven light. Good for all things that you normally use puff pastry for, from puddings, to éclairs, to about anything else you need good dough for.
CREAM PUFF PASTRY
Ingredients: 1 c. water 3 oz. butter, cut in pieces 1 c. flour, sifted 4 eggs, lg. size 1/8 tsp. nutmeg Procedure: 1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Bring water and butter to boil, turn down heat, add flour and spice all at once and beat vigorously for 2 or 3 minutes. The dough will form into a mass. 2. Add eggs one at a time and blend until smooth. Spoon onto baking sheet 2 inches apart, using small amounts to make hors d'oeuvre shells and larger amounts for dessert shells. 3. Bake 20 minutes for larger pastries, and less for smaller ones. They will double in size. When baked, remove and pierce side to let out steam. 4. When cold, fill shells with a French cream for dessert.
CURRIED PUFF PASTRY Ingredients: 1 pkg. frozen filo dough 1/2 lb. seafood chunks 1 can sliced water chestnuts 1 bunch broccoli (chopped 1 lg. onion (chopped) 2 stalks celery (chopped) 1/2 lb. butter (2 sticks) 1 tsp. curry Procedure: 1. Sauté all ingredients (except puff pastry or filo dough) in 3 tablespoons butter. Melt remaining butter, grease 9x13 inch pan. 2. Butter each sheet of filo as you go, being careful not to allow it to become dry and brittle (cover with damp cloth if are delayed). Layer 12, and then add a layer of curried mix, 2-3 layers dough, remaining curried mix, then layer the rest of the dough. Pour any remaining butter over the top. 3. Bake approximately 30 minutes at 350 degrees.
PASTRY CREAM
Ingredients: 1/3 c. sugar 3 1/2 tbsp. cornstarch or 6 tbsp. flour 1 tsp. vanilla 6 lightly beaten egg yolks 2 c. milk Procedure: 1. Mix sugar, cornstarch and egg yolks in a saucepan. Scald the milk and pour it gradually over the egg yolk mixture, stirring rapidly with a wire whisk. 2. Cook over low heat or in a double boiler, stirring rapidly with the whisk, until the mixture is thickened and smooth. Do not allow the pastry cream to boil. Cool and stir in the vanilla.
BRIE IN PASTRY Ingredients: 1 wheel Brie cheese (about 2 lbs.) 1 (17 1/2 oz.) pkg. frozen puff pastry 1 egg Procedure: 1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Roll a sheet of pastry lightly to fit sides and bottom and cut to overlap 1/2 inch on top of Brie. Brush 1/2 inch of pastry rim with water. 2. Roll second sheet lightly and use top of Brie box to cut dough to fit exactly on top. Place on top, using fork to press down and seal edges. 3. Cut out leaves, flowers, or other shapes with any leftover pie crust and decorate top. 4. Mix egg with a little water and brush top. Bake 25 minutes, or until crust is golden brown. Wait 45 minutes to an hour before serving. Cut into thin wedges. Serve surrounded with crackers.
CHICKEN IN PUFF PASTRY
Ingredients: 6 skinless, boneless chicken breasts Pepperidge Farm Puff Pastry Sheets, defrosted 6 slices cooked ham 1 can cream of chicken soup Dijon mustard 6 slices Swiss cheese 1 (8 oz.) sour cream 1/8 c. milk Procedure: 1. Roll Puff Pastry. Spread a thin layer of Dijon mustard on the pastry. Place a chicken breast on mustard and top with a slice of ham and cheese. Roll pastry around chicken and seal it. Bake at 400 degrees for 30 to 40 minutes. Serve with sauce made with: sour cream, 1/2 can of soup, and milk. Warm until it boils.
CHOCOLATE PASTRY - Brioche au Chocolat Ingredients: 1 pkg. refrigerated crescent rolls 6 tbsp. semi-sweet chocolate chips Powdered sugar (enough to sprinkle lightly on each pastry) Procedure: 1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. 2. Remove dough according to directions on package. Smooth out perforations (dotted lines) in dough with your fingers and cut dough into 6 rectangles. 3. In the center of each rectangle, place 1 tablespoon of chocolate chips. Bring each of the 4 corners of the rectangle to the middle and seal to make an envelope. 4. Place pastries on an ungreased cookie sheet and bake 10-15 minutes or until golden. 5. Remove and place pastries on a cooling rack. Sprinkle tops lightly with powdered sugar.
EGG YOLK PASTRY
Ingredients: 5 c. sifted flour (preferably pastry flour) 4 tsp. sugar 1/2 tsp. salt 1/2 tsp. baking powder 1 1/2 c. lard or solid vegetable shortening (Crisco, etc.) 2 egg yolks (or 1 egg), slightly beaten Cold water 1 tsp. vinegar
Procedure: 1. Put flour in bowl; add sugar, salt and baking powder. 2. Stir to blend well. With pastry blender, cut lard or shortening into flour mixture. 3. In measuring mix egg yolks (or whole egg) with vinegar put enough water to make a scant cup of liquid. Sprinkle this egg water mixture gradually over flour shortening mixture while blending lightly with pastry blender or fork to form soft dough. 4. Mix no more than necessary to blend to assure flaky pastry. 5. Roll immediately on floured board or pastry cloth or store in refrigerator. 6. This pastry freezes well so crusts or pies can be made up frozen and used "whenever".
PECAN PASTRIES
Ingredients: PASTRY: 1/4 c. butter 3 oz. cream cheese 1 c. flour FILLING: 1 c. brown sugar 2 tbsp. butter 1 tsp. vanilla Pinch salt 3/4 c. chopped pecans 1 egg
Procedure: 1. Mix pastry and roll in palm of hand. 2. Line 12 muffin cups with flattened dough. Mix filling and heat, but don't boil. 3. Spoon filling into pastry, not quite to top. 4. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.
PUFF PASTRY CHEESE TWISTS Ingredients:
1 env. Lipton Golden Onion Recipe Soup Mix 1/4 c. grated Parmesan cheese 2 tsp. chili powder 1 tsp. ground cumin 1 pkg. (17 1/4 oz.) frozen puff pastry sheets, thawed
Procedure: 1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. 2. In medium bowl, combine all ingredients except pastry sheets; set aside. 3. Unfold 1 pastry sheet and sprinkle with 1/2 soup mixture; top with remaining pastry sheet. 4. With rolling pin, lightly roll layered sheets into a 15x11 inch rectangle. 5. Sprinkle top pastry sheet with remaining soup mixture, then, with rolling pin, lightly roll mixture into pastry. 6. Cut pastry into 30 ((1/2 x 11 inch) strips; twist strips. 7. Arrange on two ungreased baking sheets. 8. Decrease heat to 350 degrees and bake 12 minutes or until golden brown. Makes about 30 twists.